Oil tank heater

[MNicefisher]

This winter will be my first winter with my VL and I go ice fishing up in Canada at my buddy's cabin and it can get -30F easy. The cabin is on and island on Lake of the Woods but luckily it has electricity. I have a Kattz battery heater that fits around the oil tank nicely. I was going to use big zip strips to hold it tight to get the best heat transfer. I know this will work well to keep the oil in the tank warm but not sure on if the cranking of the motor will crank long enough to even circulate the warm oil to help it turn over faster. I know I could just add a coolant heater but I already have the battery heater. I guess I could just use it for its intended use and put it on the battery instead.

I did buy an updated ECU for it already and do plan on carrying a small battery jump pack and of coarse running synthetic oil in it.

 

[cannondale27]

PM Yellowknife here. He would have great advice for coldstarting the 4 strokes. Very rarely gets that cold here.

 

[marpolsdofer]

synthetic oil is a very great cold weather choice as well as hot.
A certain oil I sell it Pour Point is °C -51 (°F -60) (ASTM D-97). Should give you excellent cold start oil pressure and immediate right away unless you get that cold. The oil will not run out while sitting unless its been a long time but should still have something in the bearings and cylinder walls.

 

[APEX 06]

I would be more worried about the battery at that temp.

 

[wesj]

battery blanket and a block heater if you are gona be staying out there ... if not then carry a salamader heater and a tarp ....

 

[Ruggybuggy]

What island on Lake of the Woods? I'm on the north shore. As far as a heater go to Napa and get a pan heater and stick it to the bottom of the oil pan. They work get and you will have no trouble starting it. Also pick up a AGM battery which works better in cold weather.

Napa Battery

Pan Heater

 

[wesj]

I am up at 2000 feet so temps rarely get to -30 or below here but down at 600 the temp can be -50 to -60 hence why I say if staying there. I don't run any heaters on the sled and only one time did it give me a fit starting and the sleds stay outside.

 

[Mooseman]

I've seen a video of a very cold Phazer that was cranking so slow, I was surprised it started at all. Unfortunately I can't find that video. I started mine in -25C, no problem except the fuel pump relay was frozen so carry a spare one. Yamaha has come out with a new solid state relay for this very reason.
http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php? ... pump+relay

 

[blueironranger]

-20*f hasn't been a problem for mine, yet. turned over slow but still fired right up.

 

[gumbellion]

I am in the same area as your are. Rainy Lake Last year but spend a good chunk of time in Dryden. Sled stays outside all winter and have never had a problem starting it, even at -30.
My sled is a 07, so it did have the slow cranking problem before. After the ECU recall it fires up right away and cranks quickly
The one thing that I do have on it is a battery tender. I dont have it plugged in all the time but if its going to be a week+ between using the sled, or if its going to be that cold I will plug it in

 

[yamadoo]

Some good battery info
http://batteryuniversity.com/learn/arti ... ss_mat_agm

Hope that helps, I was more inclined to go AGM after that read.
Yamadoo

 

[MNicefisher]

What island on Lake of the Woods? I'm on the north shore. As far as a heater go to Napa and get a pan heater and stick it to the bottom of the oil pan. They work get and you will have no trouble starting it. Also pick up a AGM battery which works better in cold weather.

Napa Battery

Pan Heater

I stay on Raspberry Island about a mile out from the government dock out of Morson, we ice fish for lakers out of whitefish, makes for a nice ride to start the day off.

As far as the heater goes everything is aluminum or cast so a magnetic heater won't work, that's why I was going to wrap the oil tank with a battery heater plus being a dry sump your oil tank is your oil pan.

 

[wesj]

the heaters for the oil pan is a rubber pad that has glue on oneside with heating element thru it so it moulds to what you are placing it on. Electric cord goes out from it not much different then battery pad that goes on top of the battery tray and battery sits on it.

 

[porkchop]

I've seen a video of a very cold Phazer that was cranking so slow, I was surprised it started at all. Unfortunately I can't find that video. I started mine in -25C, no problem except the fuel pump relay was frozen so carry a spare one. Yamaha has come out with a new solid state relay for this very reason.
http://www.ty4stroke.com/viewtopic.php? ... pump+relay

A cup of warm water or your piss works to free up a relay too

We were in a busy parking lot, buddies nytro had that issue around 0*.... water was available

 

[MNicefisher]

I am in the same area as your are. Rainy Lake Last year but spend a good chunk of time in Dryden. Sled stays outside all winter and have never had a problem starting it, even at -30.
My sled is a 07, so it did have the slow cranking problem before. After the ECU recall it fires up right away and cranks quickly
The one thing that I do have on it is a battery tender. I dont have it plugged in all the time but if its going to be a week+ between using the sled, or if its going to be that cold I will plug it in

That's good to know, mine VL is a 07 too, I did the the ECU and just bought the sled in April so I don't know what to expect but hope I have as good of luck as you.